Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Boomer Voices program and will be provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

Today is my last day as a member of the Verizon Boomer Voices program. I feel as though I should go out with a song—you know, something by the Verizon Boomer Voices—that great girl group that used to record on the Motorolatown label. (That’s borrowed from a joke I cracked at our dinner in Chicago on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Tower.) Envision 16 midlife bloggers from across the Midwest, dressed in spangley gowns and performing synchronized, rhythmic hand gestures while holding a variety of mobile devices.

Dinner at Coco Pazzo Cafe in Chicago with some of the Verizon Boomer Voices gang. I’m at the far left.

What a ride this was. From those intense training sessions in Chicago at the start of the program in June, to testing the DROID RAZR MAXX HD and the FitBit, to my house party in October, to the finale—my great, big raffle earlier in December—the experience has been extraordinary. I’ve had fun, elbowed my way out of my technology comfort zone, and made a rebellious decision.

In June 2014, when my contract with AT&T ends, I’m jumping over to Verizon Wireless. Why? Because it’s a phenomenal company with great customer service that just happens to have the fastest 4G LTE network around. And although I no longer live in Oberlin, Ohio, I still visit my old college town fairly frequently. AT&T’s service there has always been spotty at best. It will be a relief to enjoy social media with my coffee at the Black River Café!

Verizon Wireless surprised my program colleagues and me in November by sending us each a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 to test. As you might recall, I fractured my foot around that time; I wasn’t in much of a mood, therefore, to go exploring new technology, especially since I was ingesting some powerful pain meds.

Fear not, dear readers. I found a workaround to the dilemma that pleased my husband to no end. I gave him the device as an early Christmas present, and to thank him for being such an incredible tower of strength and support during my time on the injured list.

I think of the Galaxy Note 3 as a phone masquerading as a tablet. John had recently acquired a tablet, but he quickly abandoned it favor of the Note 3.

He’s come a long way since the day I first met him, checking his email on his Blackberry. When that conked out, I gave him an old iPhone of mine to use so he could discover the joys of the touch screen.

Now, after using the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, he’s an Android convert. He likes the Note 3 better than the iPhone, and certainly more than he liked his tablet. “It offers all the advantages of the tablet, but it fits neatly in my hand,” he says.

He finds reading a breeze on the Note 3, since the standard text is, he says, “comfortably sized,” and the retina quality display is “easy on the eyes. Samsung has made the most of the viewing surface.”

He also finds the built-in app that allows him to accept Microsoft Office docs “very useful.” If the developers really want to send him over the moon, they’ll devise a way for the Note 3 to launch a new MS Office program. A frequent flier, John often works on the plane; this way, he says, he’ll no longer have to bruise the shins of the unlucky passenger seated in front of him while grappling to remove his laptop from his briefcase.

His favorite feature, though, is the snooze button on the alarm.

He does have one minor quibble, and I’ll let him tell you:

The developers have built-in a small quick-view tab that remains on the left of the screen to allow the user to access folders and other frequently used apps. Because it is always there, the small part of the screen that it occupies covers up areas of games that are occasionally important to see. Although this is a nuisance (I have yet to find a help topic that will allow me to hide it), overall I’m very happy with the Note 3 and plan on making it the only companion to my laptop.

For an executive who travels a lot, this is high praise.

I want to thank Verizon Wireless for sending me such a fabulous mobile device, thus solving my Christmas-shopping dilemma at a time when I can barely leave the house. I also want to thank them for inviting me to be part of this incredible program. I’ve learned so much, and made many wonderful new friends. To all of them—and to you, my loyal readers—a very Happy New Year!

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Boomer Voices program and have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

When I was younger I was a worrier. Now this might run counter to most people’s experiences, but I’ve found that the older I get, the less I worry. Maybe it has something to do with the wisdom that accrues with age. Or maybe it comes with the realization that in my life’s narrative arc—divorce and cancer being two notable plot points—anything else is small potatoes. (I’m not thinking of the global concerns that keep me—and you too, I suspect—up at night, but that’s fodder for another post.)

In my own little corner of the world, I have learned to let go, explore, and question old habits. Take my iPhone habit, for example. I’ve been a Mac girl ever since my first Apple desktop back in the 1980s, and I can state, unequivocally, that I’ll never trade in my Mac for a PC. But after three months of testing the DROID RAZR MAXX, I have to admit that I seriously thought about trading in my iPhone for the DROID.

Thought about it…agonized over it…but ultimately decided that although I’ve kinda sorta stopped worrying about the DROID, and can say in all honesty that I do love it, I’m not in love with it. You know what I mean?

In an earlier post on this topic, I said the clincher for me would be cost and security, and I promised to write one more post on the DROID to let you know how this all settled out for me. So let’s talk.

The DROID lists for $199.99 But then so does the iPhone 5S (at least, the one with the least amount of horsepower—16 GB). To lock in the price for both, one must commit to a two-year contract with a wireless provider such as Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint.

As for the new low-cost option Apple released this year, the plasticized iPhone 5C with a list price of $99.99 plus a two-year contract, I say good. Those who have longed for an iPhone but couldn’t afford one are benefiting from Apple’s decision to enter the lower-end market. It’s not for me, but I like that it exists.

As for contracts: I’ll have a word or two about wireless providers in my final wrap-up post for the Verizon Boomer Voices program, so look for that in the coming days.

Back to my comparison exercise. With cost eliminated as a factor, we’re left with security. And this is where I do sleep better at night with the iPhone.

Apple is famous (some might say notorious) for its closed operating system, which limits the seemingly endless opportunities presented by software designers who are free to contribute to Google’s Android system. That’s why the DROID can practically butter your toast for you. But what the iPhone lacks in options, it makes up for in security. According to a recent article in the MITTechnology Review, a study at North Carolina State University revealed that “changes manufacturers made to the stock Android software were responsible for more than 60 percent of the security flaws uncovered in phones from different handset companies.”

In years of using an iPhone—indeed, in years of using a Mac—I’ve never once experienced a security issue. Malware and viruses were things that happened to other people. That means something to me. One could say that with Apple, security derives from simplicity.

In design and functionality, the DROID lacks that elegant simplicity. Because the DROID’s open operating system allows it to do so much more than the iPhone, it arrives with a certain amount of baggage—numerous mysteries to unlock before one can give in to its charms—although the tutorials and videos, accessible from the DROID’s Help icon, are a nice touch. Some of that baggage, however, includes the risk of a security breach. At this stage of my life, I just don’t need the hassle.

So there you have it. I’m staying with my iPhone. But I was thrilled to have had the chance to experience the Android operating system, and for that I have Verizon Wireless to thank. As for those of you who want help buttering your toast, I am happy to recommend the DROID RAZR MAXX HD. It’s really a cool, fun phone.

Julie, your tablet is on its way to you, along with a SIM card and a few other goodies from Verizon Wireless and me. Not sure it will reach you before Christmas, since there’s a lot of traffic out there what with Santa’s reindeer and his massive fleet of UPS trucks. Nevertheless, you and Patricia Craven (winner of the Mophie Juice Pack Power Station) and Shawna Elkins (winner of the Mini Jambox by JawBone), definitely have something wonderful in store.

My heartfelt thanks to all of you who entered the drawing through the blog, the Midlife Second Wife’s Facebook page, and on Twitter. And a special thanks to Verizon Wireless for being such a phenomenal brand partner for the last six months. My time with them is drawing to a close, but I’ll be back here in a week or so with some closing thoughts on the experience.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Boomer Voices program and will be provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

Ladies and gentlemen, the plot thickens in the exciting cliffhanger known as “Who Won Those Three Amazing Devices?” in the Verizon Wirelessraffle. The drawing was held Wednesday, Dec. 18, and I’m delighted to announce that the person who can expect delivery of the Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation is …

Patricia Craven of Connecticut

Congratulations, Patricia! Your prize will be shipped soon, along with a few other goodies from Verizon Wireless and me. Thanks very much for entering the drawing!

Now, for those of you playing along at home, that means there’s one prize left—the The Verizon Wireless Ellipsis™ 7. But you’ll have to check back here tomorrow to find out the winner!

My heartfelt thanks to all of you who entered the drawing! And there were a lot of you!

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Boomer Voices program and will be provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

I held the drawing this afternoon to select the winners of three amazing devices from Verizon Wireless. Because I suspect you all love suspense as much as I do, I’m going to announce the prizewinners individually over the next day or so.

One of my favorite books when I was just learning to read was Joan Walsh Anglund’s beautifully illustrated Christmas is a Time of Giving. I also loved O. Henry’s short story The Gift of the Magi. I’m sure that the sentiments expressed in those pages set me up for a lifetime of loving to give presents. This holiday season, I’m honored to have a little help from Verizon Wireless as I put on my Santa suit.

My time as a member of the Verizon Boomer Voices program is drawing to a close. To celebrate a collegial and successful partnership, and to thank you for following my adventures in technology, I’m giving you a special holiday present: the chance to win one of three phenomenal mobile devices, courtesy of Verizon Wireless.

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Boomer Voices program and will be provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

Without further ado, here is the first item offered through my raffle: The Verizon Wireless Ellipsis™ 7, a portable full-feature tablet available exclusively by Verizon and its fast 4G LTE network.

The Ellipsis features a 7-inch HD display, ample battery life, and a 1.2GHz quad core processor that lets you easily switch from e-books to games to email. Here are some qualities that make the Ellipsis a perfect gift:

• It allows you to seamlessly balance your personal and professional life. Read emails, download documents and files, manage calendars, and sync your contacts easily so you can stay productive on your next adventure.

• It enables you to share photos, videos, contacts.

• It helps you stay connected with the enriched features of Verizon Messages.

• It provides an array of preloaded apps that bring you custom radio and the latest games and movies on demand, including the Amazon Kindle app and Redbox Instant by Verizon. (Redbox Instant allows you to stream your favorite movies or find the closest Redbox kiosk, where you can pick up new releases on DVD.)

Behind “Door Number Two” we have the MiniJambox™ by Jawbone. (And if you caught that reference be sure to say so in your comment on the blog! See rules below for details.)

The MiniJambox by Jawbone brings beautiful, wireless sound to any experience via Bluetooth or a 3.5 millimeter stereo cable. Completely portable, it’s small enough to fit into a pocket or a clutch purse. In fact, it rather looks like a clutch purse, doesn’t it?

The MiniJambox comes with up to 10 hours of built-in rechargeable battery life. You can customize and personalize it with the Jawbone app. A built-in speakerphone even lets you take calls on the go.

Finally, here for your raffling pleasure is the Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation. With a quick-charging 4,000 mAh external battery, this handy device was designed to provide rapid charging. The Powerstation can switch between 500 mA, 1 amp, or 2.1 amps, giving you high-output power for just about any USB-charged device. Its compact, lightweight design makes it easy to carry, and it works with a range of devices—smartphones, tablets, and portable gaming systems.

Okay now. Are you ready to play? Here are the details on how to enter this amazing raffle:

Leave a relevant comment on this post, tweet about this giveaway (if you follow me on Twitter, retweeting this post will count as an entry!), or leave a comment on the Midlife Second Wife’s Facebook page.

If you tweet or retweet, be sure my Twitter handle is included: @midlife2wife. That way I’ll be sure to see your activity.

The more comments and tweets the better, so by all means feel free to leave more than one. The deadline to enter is 12 o’clock noon (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, December 18, 2013.

I will have Colin, my intern, select product winners from the different platforms on the afternoon of December 18. You have just one week to fill my inbox with comments, tweets, and Facebook notes! One prize per person and three prizes to be given away, along with a few extra swag-bag goodies for each winner. For shipping purposes, I must have a U.S. address to send the items.

I’ll announce the winners here on the blog.

Thanks again for reading, for following, and for entering the raffle. May you be one of the lucky winners!

This is a wonderful time to be a real person. Ordinary people—folks just like you and me—are popping up all over the place. You see us in ads for e-readers, Fords, room fresheners, and more. Today’s conventional wisdom, according to AdWeek, suggests that real people make a brand seem “more genuine and authentic.” If you happen to be a real person and possess an opinion, Madison Avenue wants to know what you have to say. Martha Stewart? If the brouhaha in the blogosphere is any indication, maybe not so much.

The domestic diva got herself in the soup for remarks she made in an interview with Stephanie Ruhle of Bloomberg Television. Here’s what Stewart said:

Who are these bloggers? They’re not trained editors at Vogue magazine. I mean, there are bloggers writing recipes that aren’t tested, that aren’t necessarily very good, or are copies of everything that really good editors have created and done. So bloggers create kind of a popularity, but they are not the experts. And we have to understand that. [Emphasis added].

As you can imagine, Stewart ignited quite a firestorm in the blogosphere, especially since many bloggers gauged her comments as hypocritical; Stewart has been a keynote speaker at BlogHer and her publicists actively seek bloggers to help promote her merchandise.

I’ve sat this out until now, but after considering the incident, it does seem to merit some discussion about nuance, authenticity, the nature of expertise, and what bloggers can and shouldn’t do.

I don’t at all mind that I’ve not been asked to serve as one of Martha Stewart’s brand ambassadors, although, had I been approached, I would have said yes. I have admired Stewart’s aesthetic and contributions to the domestic arts for years. But I find her comments troubling, especially in light of her active recruitment of bloggers. As many bloggers will tell you, our authenticity as real people who use real products gives us enormous credibility. There’s a case to be made for life experience contributing to expertise. It would seem as though that’s what the Martha Stewart brand was looking for.

So what exactly do we mean by the word “expert” anyway?

Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, defines an expert as one “having special skill or knowledge derived from training or experience.” Let’s deconstruct this a moment, using my blog and one of its sections as an example.

In naming this site “The Midlife Second Wife,” I made two explicit declarations: I have lived a fair number of years and am therefore no spring chicken, and I have married for the second time. I am, at the present moment, 57-years old and have been cooking for at least 35 years. A section on my blog features recipes, many of which are mine and all of which I have prepared. In working with these recipes over the course of a lifetime, it’s fair to say that I have “tested” them. Every recipe I’ve shared on the blog has been wildly popular with my family and friends (trust me, I’m not about to share the occasional flop with you), so it’s safe to assume they are “very good.” In cases where I include recipes from some of my favorite cookbook authors—dishes I also have in my regular cooking rotation—I have asked for, and received, permission to reprint them. I make no claims to be chef, professional cook, or restaurateur; in that sense I am not an expert. But you can take to the bank the fact that I’m an excellent home cook with decades of experience in the kitchen. In that respect, I am an expert.

As for blogging, I bring experience as a published writer and editor to the enterprise. While the Oberlin Conservatory Magazine is hardly Vogue, it is nevertheless a beautiful publication featuring the students, faculty, and alumni of one of the most respected music schools in the United States. I served as its editor for 10 years, from 2001 to 2010. I also majored in English with an emphasis in creative writing at Oberlin College, so I learned a thing or two about what it takes to craft a narrative.

These are my credentials—I know many other bloggers who have résumés with similar bona fides. I present mine here not because this incident is about me, but because I’m a blogger, and the Stewart incident raises the question about what we choose to blog about, what our experience has been, and how we go about the whole enterprise. I’m happy to offer my opinion in areas where I believe I have something worthwhile to contribute, and where I can provide useful and enlightening information in what I hope is an enjoyable read for you. I also tend to agree with Linda Lacina, who posits in Entrepreneur.com that the real battle bloggers might consider waging isn’t necessarily with Martha Stewart, but with shoddy content. That could have been the point Stewart was trying to make, but unfortunately, her remarks painted all bloggers with a push broom-sized brush.

Let me add that I have never—and I promise you that I will never—pass myself off as an expert by adding to the critical literature on figure-skating, cross-bow hunting, parachuting, or hand surgery. What I will do is write, to the best of my ability, about what I know. In cases where I feel compelled to write about what I don’t know, but wonder about (hand surgery, anyone?), I’ll bring in the experts. (I’ve already interviewed a few on Monday Morning Q&A.)

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Boomer Voices program and will be provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

I recently hosted a house party as a member of the Verizon Boomer Voices Program. I called it “A Very Verizon Party,” and it featured my own take on Michael Feldman’s Whad’ya Know? quiz show, a program produced by Public Radio International. I’m pleased to report that a very good time was had by all, what with the great food, good fun, and gadgets galore courtesy of the techno-geniuses at Verizon Wireless. I wish all of you could have been there, but there wouldn’t have been enough Chocolate Tea Cake to go around. (Do you like the way I incorporated the black and red Verizon Wireless logo colors into my dessert?)

Voilà! I frosted this with strawberry jam and garnished it accordingly.

As a reader of this blog, this is your consolation prize: the chance to peer through the looking glass of your screen and glimpse a few highlights from the party. You’re never far from my thoughts, dear readers. Come along and enjoy!

The swag bags were set by the chimney with care…

…in hopes that Verizon soon would be there.

Look at the great swag nestled in those black and red bags: A water bottle (complete with a nifty ice holder); a phone holder; a stylus that doubles as a pen; a flash drive stocked with detailed information on the devices demonstrated at the party; a list of nearby Verizon Wireless stores and, to go with it, a $50 coupon redeemable with purchase at one of those stores.

And check out the buffet table! In addition to the chocolate tea cake, I served fresh strawberries, an array of cheeses (and crackers), assorted nuts, and a few decadent sweets from Trader Joe’s.

These are some of the prizes that were up for grabs:To keep things moving along, I held a few old-fashioned drawings. But my guests really loved playing “Whad’ya Know About Verizon Wireless?” They wrote their names on index cards upon their arrival, and I drew two cards for each round of play. I had already downloaded two service bell apps—one for my iPhone and on for the DROID RAZR MAXX HD I’ve been testing for the program. Whoever rang the bell first got to answer the first question (there were five questions in each round).

I wish I had pictures of the contestants playing the game, but here are some of the sample questions. As with Feldman’s program, the questions were painstakingly researched, but the answers were not. (How would you do with these questions?)

I. A FITBIT is:

a) a device that fits into a horse’s bridle
b) a type of healthy, delicious candy that has zero calories
c) a item of apparel that will always fit you no matter how much weight you gain
d) a device that tracks your calories, activity, and sleep and syncs with your mobile device or laptop

II. TRUE OR FALSE:

Accessories and devices available through Verizon Wireless will only work with the Android Operating System

III. The slogan or tagline in the old Verizon commercials is:

a) Rethink Possible
b) The Power of a Network
c) Can You Hear Me Now?
d) Just Do It.

IV. TRUE OR FALSE: The iconic spokesperson for Verizon Wireless, featured in the “Can you hear me now?” commercials, had blond hair and wore a long-sleeved blue shirt.

V. The Verizon Wireless store closest to where we’re having this party is located:

a) at Westgate Mall
b) at Crocker Park
c) at Tower City
d) at Legacy Village

Here are some pictures of my guests.

Oh, Verizon? If you need a mascot may I suggest our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Sandy?

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Boomer Voices program and have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

You have to love an electronic device that cares enough to remember your name. And you know the relationship is promising when it strives to keep you motivated throughout your weight-loss program without barking like a drill sergeant or Jillian Michaels. For two weeks this month, I’ve dated—er, tested—the FitBit One, an adorable, unassuming little device, no bigger than an eraser, but with the brains of a computer and the heart of a personal trainer who really wants you to do well.

If only an eraser could make those pounds and all that cellulite vanish! —MorgueFile image

My son is getting married in a month. If there’s to be room for the mother of the groom in the dress that I bought, I should lose at least ten pounds before the wedding. As of this writing, I’ve lost six, and I have two trusty tools in my arsenal to thank for this success: the Digest Diet, a variation of which I’ve gone back on (you can read about my earlier success on the diet here) and the FitBit One.

I discovered the FitBit One when I went to Chicago this summer as a guest of Verizon Wireless and the Verizon Boomer Voices program. I assumed we’d be talking about phones, but that was just the half of it. The good people at Verizon Wireless and Motorola trained us not only on the DROID RAZR MAXX HD, but also on the FitBit One. We learned about other Verizon Wireless devices, too, but that’s another story.

You’ve no doubt heard that the path to great health is walking 10,000 steps each day. Well, FitBit has heard about that, too. Any day that you reach that goal (and I reached it…once), FitBit’s screen lights up with a sort of “atta girl!” message.

FitBit is more than a glorified pedometer, though. It tracks how many calories you burn each day and how many flights of stairs you climb. It also translates the number of steps walked into number of miles traveled. It’s genius, however, is in its ability to sync wirelessly with select computers and mobile devices—Mac or PC.

I downloaded the free FitBit APPs for my iPhone, my iPad, and the DROID I’m still testing. Control central, however, is my laptop, which I’m on every morning. There’s a mysterious little device that comes with the FitBit called a “Dongle.” Don’t ask. You plug that into your computer’s USB port, place your FitBit next to it, and it begins to sync. Once finished, you’re directed to log on to the account you’ve set up on FitBit.com. Check your tallies for the day, and you’ll see your stats appear on the site. Place your FitBit next to your mobile device, and it automatically syncs without your having to lift a finger.

There are bits of data you need to record manually. FitBit is not equipped—not yet, anyway—to miraculously determine what food you’ve eaten, how much of it, or when. But if you’re dieting you’re likely to keep a food log anyway; simply use the food log on the FitBit site. The calories are already programmed for many of the foods you are likely to eat, just enter your portions. Unusual items, like homemade, recipe-specific meals (the foods I prepare for the Digest Diet, for example), must be entered manually, but once you’ve done so they’re saved in your list of foods. Simply start typing to enter and the site’s predictive text brings it right up. Click and your entry is logged.

You can also record such activities as swimming, running, and other forms of exercise. And of course, each morning after you’ve weighed yourself, enter that, too.

Finally, if you’ve ever wondered whether you’re really getting a good night’s sleep, FitBit can tell you. Place it in the wristband that came with it, put it on the wrist of your non-dominant hand, and while you are sleeping, the FitBit records how many times you wake up and how long you’ve slumbered, gauging the efficiency of your sleep. It can even wake you up, if you like. And gently. Just set the alarm.

Since a wedding is prompting me to focus on my weight loss and overall physical health, I propose another perfect union: Digest Diet and FitBit should get married. The two together are simply awesome. (And it would be nice to have my favorite Digest Diet recipes already loaded into the device’s algorithms.)

Now that would be a perfect match.

The FitBit One retails for $99.99 and includes a rechargeable battery. Use of the FitBit website is free, but if you want to participate in FitBit Benchmark, an interactive tool that gives you access to the entire FitBit database, allowing you to track your progress against that of other users, you need to pay an annual premium membership fee of $49.99.

Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Boomer Voices program and have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

I’ve learned a lot about my iPhone since using the DROID RAZR MAXX HD. (Gosh, I wish Motorola’s smart phone had a simpler, more elegant name.) In an earlier post I shared some thoughts about the DROID, which I’ve been testing for nearly three months, and the iPhone, which I’ve owned for more than three years. In this post I’ll say a word or two about the differences in the two phones, including the battery life and the network speed. For those of you wondering if I’m ready to jump the Apple ship, there are two major factors I’ll be considering first: security and cost. After I’ve talked with a representative at my local Verizon Wireless store to compare apples to oranges, as it were, and after I’ve reviewed some issues concerning malware and the DROID, I’ll render my final verdict.

Before I begin, I’d like to revisit two aspects of the phones covered in my earlier post—sound and syncing—and you can blame a representative at the Apple store and David Pogue of the New York Times for the redundancies.

At the Apple store, I learned that I’m not able to use the Cloud to sync my iPhone with my MacBook Pro because of my iPhone’s outdated operating system. This is why it’s so clunky for me to get photos from my iPhone to my laptop, and why the Android’s seamless operating system allowed my pictures to magically appear on Google+ (and hence my laptop). Moreover, I am unable to download the current iPhone operating system precisely because I have too many pictures on the phone. There’s just not enough room, and so I’m taking the time to (laboriously) delete photos from the iPhone’s camera roll.

Having iOS 6.1.3 will not only allow me to Cloud-sync my iPhone with my MacBook Pro (calendar, apps, and photos), it will also allow Siri to do more for me than I previously imagined. Siri herself told me that she cannot open Facebook (something the DROID can do on command) even though I asked her nicely: “I can do that if you update to the latest version of iOS.”

“The Voice-Off: Android Vs. Siri,” the title of Pogue’s insightful “State of the Art” column for the August 21, 2013 edition of the Times, taught me even more about Siri and the DROID’S voice, which I call “Gigi.” I prefer Gigi to Siri for a number of reasons. I happen to think her tone conveys more warmth, although Pogue notes that this fall, with i0S 7 (which will probably become available as soon as I’ve updated to iOS 6-whatever), “Siri will gain a more pleasant speaking voice.” But Pogue maintains that Siri has it all over Gigi when it comes to a sense of humor. He asked his Siri, “Who’s your daddy?”. She replied: “You are. Can we get back to work now?” Here’s the dialog when I posed the same question to my Siri:

Me: Who’s your daddy?

Siri: What?

Me: Who is your daddy?

Siri: My daddy?

Me: Yes, Siri. Your daddy.

Siri: That’s what I figured.

Pogue pointed out another thing I’ve come to prefer about the DROID: as you dictate a question or a command, the words appear on the screen as you say them. Siri won’t transcribe what you’re saying until you’ve finished saying it. Pogue’s thorough assessment is so wonderful that I encourage you to read it.

These Are Phones, Right? Well, How Do Those Work?While we’re on the subject of sound, I should say a word about the intrinsic purpose of the DROID and the iPhone: their ability to make and receive phone calls.

For clarity and ease of dialing, the iPhone wins hands down. I don’t care for the distracting way the DROID runs through my contacts when I’m entering a telephone number similar to that of another person. I also prefer the iPhone’s quality and clarity of sound during a phone call.

Now what I’m about to say next has nothing to do with the DROID or the iPhone, and everything to do with one’s wireless carrier. The company I’ve been with since the beginning (I won’t name it here but you can guess), has scant receptivity in one of my favorite towns. It also kept dropping calls when my husband (who uses the same provider) and I tried to have a conversation while he was on a business trip. (Our conversation improved markedly when I phoned him back using my Verizon-Wireless-powered DROID.)

Size Matters. So Does Speed. And Longevity.At first I found the DROID RAZR MAXX HD too large for my hand, too alien. I quickly grew accustomed to its girth and actually prefer it to the iPhone. I simply find the DROID’S larger screen easier on the eyes, and find myself reaching for the it to view websites and photos when my iPad isn’t at hand. The iPhone feels far too small to me now.

Network speed has been iffy with both of the phones. The DROID’s 4GLTE is supposed to be the fastest thing going, but I haven’t always found this to be the case. Still, it’s faster than my iPhone’s 4G, which takes longer to pull up emails.

The battery lasts longer on the DROID than on the iPhone, which I seem to have to charge on a daily basis. I’ve gone several days without charging the DROID. This is an important consideration during an unexpected power outage.

What Next?As I noted at the start of this post, the final clincher for me will be cost and security. I’ll be back with my final assessment after I’ve done additional research. For now, given that I’ve addressed sound and phone function in this post, I’ll let David Pogue have the last word and leave you with this sobering thought from the conclusion of his article:

Cellphone speech recognition is getting better fast. Very soon, we’ll do less talking through our phones—and more talking to them.